Improving access to Sculpture by the Sea

Sydney’s iconic Sculpture by the Sea exhibition will be accessible to more people with disabilities this year with the NSW Government investing an additional $50,000 into the Sculpture by the Sea’s Access and Inclusion program.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for the Arts Don Harwin visited the exhibition today and announced the extra funding for people with disabilities.

“Sculpture by the Sea is an incredibly popular and much-loved part of Sydney’s events and arts calendar, and I would like to see it enjoyed by as many visitors as possible,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“I hope this investment will encourage more people with disabilities to come along and enjoy this beautiful event, now in its 21st year, and give everyone a chance to get the very best experience possible.”

The funding will support people with disabilities in several ways, including:

Private, tailored and free tours for people with disabilities and their carers

Audio descriptions for people who are unable to read signage and tactile tours for vision impaired visitors

Free exhibition catalogues for people participating in tours for people with disabilities

Auslan interpretors at public artist talks (held on each weekend day of the exhibition); and

Co-ordinated car parking for people with disabilities.

In addition, the funding will support post-exhibition artist workshops at the Wairoa School, Bondi and the Stroke Clinic at the Royal Prince Albert Hospital.

Mr Harwin said the funding was part of the government’s commitment to make arts and culture available to as many people as possible.

“The NSW Government is dedicated to making sure everyone can access the arts and this does exactly that,” he said.

Sculpture by the Sea is one of Sydney’s biggest public events and is visited by about 500,000 people each year. This year’s event runs until Sunday, 5 November. More information is available at sculpturebythesea.com